How to Master Airport Style like a ’90s Celebrity

Words by Sophia Miller

With so many criteria to fill, choosing an airport outfit can be a fashion minefield. Do you embrace comfort in head-to-toe sweats, or channel Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in a tailored coat and dark sunglasses? As summer holiday season beckons, it can’t hurt to take a little inspiration from those who did it best: the style icons of the ’90s. You may not be swamped by paparazzi the minute you touch down at Heathrow – but that doesn’t mean you can’t dress for the part.

The Sweatshirt

If the idea of wearing jeans on a long-haul flight fills you with dread, you’ll be pleased to know that elevated activewear is an equally fitting travel option. Enter: the fashion sweatshirt. Anine Bing, Sporty & Rich and Ganni are go-tos for fun or preppy graphics, while Skims, Éterne and Suzie Kondi offer a simple but perfectly executed shape. Don’t sleep on what menswear has to offer either – there are graphics aplenty and, of course, an extra-cocooning shape. Style yours with a denim jacket and sneakers for a look that’s more off-duty model than creature of comfort.

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The White T-Shirt

It’s the cornerstone of wardrobes everywhere – and the hunt for the perfect white T-shirt goes on. Fit is everything here: the slightly cropped baby tee is trending for its nostalgic turn-of-the-century vibes (Leset’s Margo T-shirt is a dead ringer for Elizabeth Hurley’s 1997 airport number), but slouchy and oversized is equally cool. Fancy your own viral photo moment? Victoria Beckham has the slogans for that.

Elizabeth Hurley, 1997, via Getty Images

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The Straight-Leg Jeans

Jeans may not be everybody’s first port of call at 30,000 feet, but the style icons of the 1990s couldn’t be parted from their favourite denim. A pair of 100 per cent cotton straight-leg jeans is the blueprint – the kind that moulds just right to your body. But if you want a little more room to breathe, the 21st century has some solid options – like Still Here’s sportier, drawstring-waist Cool style, or Rag & Bone’s trompe l’oeil Miramar pair – a sweatpants-jeans hybrid. Don’t worry, we won’t tell if you prefer your jeans with a little stretch.

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The Statement Coat

If there’s one travel style hack to win them all, it has to be the power of a great coat. No matter how tired, rushed or uninspired you’re feeling, a favourite piece of outerwear promises to help you look chic whatever you’re wearing underneath – be that jeans and a shirt or your emotional-support hoodie. Almost anything goes, but the rules are these: the coat should have a noticeable point of difference, whether that’s a statement print or a well-tailored shape, to help it turn any old outfit into a bona fide ‘look’. It’ll come in handy when that aeroplane air-conditioning kicks in, too.

Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, 1997, via Getty Images

Burberry

Gabardine Waterloo Heritage Trench Coat

$2,850.00

CAMILLA AND MARC

Wool Omar Trench Coat

$1,600.00

St. Agni

Fawn Leather Jacket

$2,000.00Now $1,400.00

Vince

Suede Longline Coat

$2,800.00Now $2,000.00

ANINE BING

Cotton-Blend Flynn Jacket

$485.00

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The Luggage

Granted, not all our ’90s icons were pictured carrying their own luggage – but if you’re burdened with dragging your own case through security, you may as well make it Louis Vuitton. Other purveyors of indisputably chic suitcases and holdalls include Bric’s, Aviteur and, of course, Rimowa. Don’t forget the travel accessories too – a Bottega Veneta Intrecciato passport holder will never go amiss.

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The Dark Sunglasses

Last but certainly not least, there’s one accessory that stylish celebrities are rarely seen without. Dark sunglasses do double-duty as an instant cool-factor upgrader, while also hiding the evidence of an early check-in time or a travel-weary complexion. We recommend a trip to our Ground Floor sunglasses department to find your best pair – and don’t forget to stop by the Beauty Halls to pick up some travel-sized skincare while you’re there. Hand luggage haul? Complete.

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